• By Liam Ridings
• In Blog, Metal Roofing, Renovation

How to Clean and Maintain Metal Roofs

Want to learn how to clean and maintain metal roofs? You’ve come to the right place. Vertec Roofing are Sydney’s leading roofing company, specialising in the construction, repairs and maintenance of metal roofs across NSW and ACT.

Given Australia’s dramatic climates, metal roofing is one of the most popular materials used for residential, commercial and industrial properties. Metal roofing is temperature regulating, sturdy, reliable, durable, and can last more than 50 years if well maintained. Energy-efficient, fire-resistant and aesthetically appealing, a metal roof provides a variety of benefits to your property. However, keeping your metal roofing materials in shape is key to ensuring your roof continues to protect your property.

If you want to clean and maintain metal roofs, read on. Vertec Roofing, Sydney’s leading roof repairs experts, are here to provide a detailed guide on the best way to clean a metal roof and the steps you can take to maintain your metal roofing materials.

How to Clean and Maintain Metal Roofs in Australia

Metal roofing is notoriously low maintenance when compared to alternative roofing materials. However, ensuring your roof is free from dirt, debris, moisture build-up, and other nasties will ensure that the integrity of your metal roof is retained. Cleaning your metal roof is an integral component of maintaining your roof structure and keeping your metal roof materials performing for longer.

As an Australian roofing company providing metal roofing services, we always recommend that residents and commercial property owners work with a qualified expert to keep their roof clean and maintained. If you don’t have any experience working at heights, getting onto and cleaning your own roof is fraught with risk.

Your Guide on How to Clean and Maintain Metal Roofs 

Step 1. Clear Away the Debris 

The most common causes of preventable damage on metal roofing are the build-up of dirt and moisture. By regularly removing all of the dirt and debris that naturally builds up over time, you prevent any moisture from penetrating the roof’s surface. It’s important that before you go any further with cleaning your roof, as your first step, you remove all of the debris to ensure a safe, thorough and comprehensive clean.

Step 2. Wash with Pressure or Cleaning Products

There are a couple of ways to go about giving your metal roof a good clean. If you’re wondering how to clean and maintain metal roofs without pressure washing, we recommend using a solvent or chemical clean. If you’re keen on pressure washing your metal roof, it’s important that you understand the basics of using such equipment to clean your metal roof. Either way, the next step for how to clean and maintain metal roofs requires a good, thorough wash.

Pressure Washing Your Metal Roof

Using a pressure washer is a relatively common way to clean your metal roof. However, there are some parameters that should be implemented, specifically for the metal materials on your roof. Pressure washing is a high-strength way of cleaning algae, grime, moisture and dirt off of a roof – but the pressure washer needs to be set at the correct regulation for your metal or Colorbond materials. Generally speaking, a pressure washer typically used at home will not provide the same safe, clean and thorough clean that a professional roof cleaning service will.

Metal Roof Cleaners to Use

When it comes to how to clean and maintain metal roofs, it’s also possible to use solvents and chemicals to achieve a nice, clean metal roof. If you’re not sure which metal roof cleaners to use, it’s best to ask your local roofer – you don’t want to use a solvent or chemical that is harsh on metal roofing materials.

In regard to metal roof cleaners to use, we always recommend purchasing a chemical or solvent that is gentle, and best suited to your roofing materials. For example, if you have a Colorbond roof, always purchase roof cleaning products specifically suited to Colorbond coating.

Solvents may be used in the case of removing tougher non-water elements that have come into contact with your metal roof. Solvents are typically used to remove oil, paint, grease, tar and graffiti. Solvents should always be used under professional guidance and with caution.

How to Clean Corrugated Metal

Not sure how to clean corrugated metal roofing? You can essentially use the same methods as we’ve mentioned above – if you’re using a pressure washer, it needs to be used on a gentle setting. If you’re using chemicals or detergents, they need to be gentle and non-abrasive for corrugated metal can be prone to rust.

What’s the Best Way to Clean a Metal Roof?

At Vertec Roofing, we vehemently believe that if you’re not confident cleaning your metal roof yourself, you should be calling in the professionals for roof cleaning Sydney services. The best way to clean a metal roof is to engage with your local roofing contractor to ensure that the job is perfectly executed and that your roof is protected against any future damages. Hiring a professional to clean your metal roof means that they will also inspect, provide advice, and make any necessary repairs or adjustments to keep your metal roof performing, for longer.

How to Clean and Maintain Metal Roofs Throughout the Year

We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: the best way to keep your roof in a good condition is to implement basic maintenance, year-round. Roof maintenance includes everything from regular inspections (from the ground and from inside), clearing away overhanging branches, keeping your gutters clean and keeping on top of any broken or deteriorating areas of your roof. If you can stick to ensuring these elements are well taken care of, you should have no problem keeping your roof relatively clean year-round.

Vertec Roofing are Sydney’s leading providers of metal roof cleaning, maintenance and repairs. If you’re still wondering how to clean and maintain metal roofs, your best bet is to call in the professionals from Vertec Roofing.

Profession metal roof cleaning is one of the most cost-effective ways to restore new life into your older roofing materials. Vertec Roofing operate with only the highest quality, most suitable metal roof cleaning solvents and equipment to ensure that your roof is left in tip-top shape. When you work with Vertec, you’re guaranteed a professional roofer who will also be able to provide expert advice, a roofing inspection, and implement basic roof preventative maintenance to prolong your metal roofing materials.

Servicing metal roofs across Sydney for more than 20 years, you can trust that Vertec Roofing are Sydney’s leading roofing professionals. If you’d like to talk to one of our experts about how to clean metal roofs with our professional services, get in touch with us today on (02) 8007 4366.